The presence of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the family can have a negative impact on parental Quality of Life (QoL), but evidence on how treatments for children with ASD can affect parental QoL is currently limited. In this qualitative study, we develop a semi-structured interview in order to investigate the impact of ASD on the…

Families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face challenges engaging in services following diagnosis. This study: (1) developed and implemented a toolkit to tailor ASD evaluation feedback to families' needs, and (2) evaluated caregiver and provider perceptions of the toolkit. Focus groups with providers (N = 11) informed toolkit…

Although the benefits of regular physical activity are clearly expressed, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are less physically active than their typically developing peers. Recent empirical studies have revealed that the level of physical activity of children with ASD has further decreased during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)…

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit challenging behaviors. Existing behavioral parent trainings (BPT) address ASD symptomology, but are lengthy and associated with significant attrition. In the current pilot study, a longitudinal randomized controlled trial was used to evaluate a novel brief BPT targeting caregivers of…

Effective support for autistic individuals is lacking in Brazil. Few centres offer services and those that do are limited in therapeutic options and geographical location. Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy is a low-intensity, evidence-based parent-mediated social-communication intervention that may be useful for this scenario. This…

Although research has shown the benefits of caregiver-implemented interventions, there is still limited intervention research on caregivers from historically underrepresented groups. To increase accessibility and feasibility of interventions among culturally and linguistically diverse populations, studying the social validity or cultural relevance…

Supported employment initiatives have been shown to increase employment rates for autistic people who want to enter the workforce. Despite the success of supported employment initiatives in increasing employment rates, little is known about the first-hand experiences and views of those involved. In the current study, we examined the experiences…

Prelinguistic children with autism often struggle with social communication and language skills. Therefore, fostering these abilities is crucial, especially during early childhood. Teaching parents how to assist their children in these areas can be quite beneficial. 'Kids in the Kitchen'(KiK) is an intervention programme designed to instruct…

Parents may be well placed to deliver therapeutic support to their own autistic preschool children. Parent-implemented Early Start Denver Model (P-ESDM) is one well-researched program for coaching parents to use strategies in daily routines to support child development. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of parents of autistic…

This study approaches the issue of autism in a case study. Specifically, it investigates how three key points in the daily life of a child on the autism spectrum change in the presence of a pet: social behavior, empathy and irritability. The aim is to study how the pet affects the child's daily life in the above points. The questions that are…

Peer mediated intervention (PMI) is an evidence-based approach to supporting social and communication development for children on the autism spectrum. For PMI to be integrated into everyday practice, it needs to be acceptable to stakeholders. This article engaged with autistic individuals, early childhood educators, parents, and speech and…

Purpose: Pivotal response treatment (PRT) is a well-established intervention addressing core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with parent involvement as a key component. The current study aimed to examine the effects of PRT parent training on parent fidelity and provide descriptive analyses of parent-child interactions before and after…

COMPASS is an educational intervention aimed at supporting individualised goal setting for students on the autism spectrum. Although its effectiveness is supported by quantitative data, little qualitative research has explored the perceived benefits and challenges of implementing COMPASS with community consultants. In the present qualitative…

Despite increased diagnostic prevalence, Black parents raising autistic youth still experience additional and unique barriers to accessing and using autism-related services compared to their non-Black peers. Increasing parent advocacy capacity may be one way to reduce these disparities. This efficacy study examined the effects of the FACES…

To examine change in driving and community mobility outcomes for teens and young adults with autism as a result of participating in an occupational therapy intervention designed as a Bootcamp as perceived by the participants and their parents. Matched questionnaires were completed by novice drivers with autism as well as their parents prior to and…